Resources.
Carrying and being trained to use naloxone empowers individuals to save lives by reversing opioid overdoses and giving people another chance to seek help and recovery. Though recovery is not the mission of harm reduction, harm reduction is a vital part of recovery. It fosters a sense of community care, breaking down stigma around substance use and showing that every life is valued. Naloxone is safe, easy to use, and has no potential for misuse, making it a vital tool for anyone committed to promoting health and well-being. By being prepared, you’re not only ready to act in an emergency but also helping to create a compassionate, supportive environment where people can access the resources they need to thrive. Each kit comes with 2 IM syringes and 2 vials of medicine along with detailed instruction on how to administer. You cannot administer to yourself or use as preventative, always use with a friend and let them know you carry naloxone.
Our basic self-harm first aid kit, including ointment, band-aids, antiseptic wipes, and a rubber band, provides essential tools to support physical and emotional well-being. It helps reduce the risk of infection by allowing individuals to properly clean and care for wounds, which is crucial for healing. Having such a kit available can also serve as a small act of self-compassion, reinforcing the importance of safety and care even in moments of distress. Additionally, items like a rubber band can act as a safer alternative to self-harm, offering a way to manage overwhelming emotions without causing lasting physical harm. Overall, this kit promotes harm reduction, empowering individuals to prioritize their health and safety while working toward healing.
Sterile syringes and syringe use packs are essential tools in harm reduction, promoting health and safety for individuals who inject substances. These packs, which include syringes, a tin cup, cotton filters, triple antibiotic, band-aids, and tourniquets, help prevent the transmission of bloodborne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C by reducing the reuse and sharing of injection equipment. The inclusion of antibiotic ointment, band-aids, and sterile filters supports wound care and reduces the risk of infections. Tourniquets and tin cups ensure safer injection practices, minimizing complications. By providing these resources, syringe use packs empower individuals to prioritize their health while creating opportunities to build trust, reduce stigma, and connect them with additional support and care when they are ready.
Condoms and dental dams are essential harm reduction tools that promote sexual health and safety. They help prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea, during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. These barriers reduce risk while empowering individuals to take control of their sexual health. Providing condoms and dental dams fosters open conversations about safer sex practices, reduces stigma around STI prevention, and supports a community where people can make informed and healthy choices. They are an easy, accessible, and effective way to prioritize both personal well-being and the health of others.
Xylazine (tranq) test strips are a vital harm reduction tool designed to detect the presence of xylazine, a powerful animal sedative often found mixed with other drugs like opioids. Using these strips can help individuals make informed decisions about substance use, reducing the risk of unintentional exposure to xylazine, which can increase the likelihood of overdose and complicate medical interventions. By identifying its presence, users and harm reduction advocates can take steps to minimize harm, such as adjusting dosages, avoiding use altogether, or being better prepared with naloxone and other safety measures. Xylazine test strips also provide an opportunity to educate about emerging drug risks, promote safer use, and connect individuals with additional resources and support.
PLEASE NOTE - NARCAN DOES NOT REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF XYLAZINE.
Xylazine is not an opioid.
Fentanyl test strips are an essential harm reduction tool that empowers individuals to check substances for the presence of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid often linked to fatal overdoses. Testing all of a substance is critical because of the "chocolate chip cookie effect," where fentanyl can be unevenly distributed, leading to some portions being far more potent than others. Dissolving the entire substance in water before testing ensures a more accurate result and reduces the risk of missing traces of fentanyl. By using these strips, individuals can make informed decisions about their safety, take precautions like using smaller amounts, and have naloxone nearby. Fentanyl test strips save lives and open conversations about overdose prevention and safer practices.
Community.
What we’ve found digging into our substance use and recovery community in NWA and beyond, is that we actually DO have resources, they’re just hard to find and networking between the groups to work together is few and far between. We want to help change that and make it easier to locate help in NWA.
Growth.
A big part of the work that we do is bringing all resources together. There is no point in rebuilding what already exists, however, we can expand and grow together. Linking arms as we tread through this journey. We’ve compiled a list below of local resources. These are not endorsed by us, but local resources available. If you have a local resource, please submit request to info@nwaharmreduction.org.